It’s been a long cold winter, but it hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm of Lake Minnetonka die-hards.

“Vell, I guess I haf to take down da ol fish house after all,” states Lars Dahlquist, of Tonka Bay. For a vile der, I taut I could just leaf it in until da next fishing season and just stay here. But it looks like I only got an extra tree veeks of fishing in. And I vas all set too… had plenty of schnapps and kippered snacks in my lunchbucket. . But, maybe its a blessing. My fishing buddy vas starting to get kinda ripe, ya know? After a few veeks or munts, your body hair starts growin tru your red-flannel union suit, and you really haf to soak a vile before you can get it off. But it looks like he vill be home for a nice soapy hot bat before Svenskarnaskag. Anyvay, da extra tree veeks of ice fishing kinda puts the ol’ kabosh on da global varming ting.”

Not everyone is disappointed by the extra long winter. It’s been a boon for the Mound-based ice harvest business out on Lake Minnetonka. The extra supply of ice means lower ice prices for those who have ice blocks delivered to their homes for use in their refrigerators. “That means we will need less burlap and salt to keep ice through the summer and fall,” says Bluelips Ice Co Manager Harold Braggendahle.

Also, the unexpected cool spell is changing some betting strategies for the local gamblers. “We always like to place bets on when the first snowmobile and the first car go through the ice,” says local water safety expert Leonard Kvelle. It’s way more fun than pull-tabs at the Legion. I plan to call my bookie and tell him I need to move the date up to September 15th or so. Of course no one wants to see anyone go through the ice. But the betting always reminds us that there is a silver lining to everything, and things could be worse. You could be going through the ice at one of those hog ponds in Iowa.”